Kelly Tilghman comment

[bca42]

Ok folks, I just knew that her comment would surface into the media, which is why was looking for the tape and asking if anyone else saw it either live or Tivo'd.

This will be my last post on this thread, because I do not want anyone to get the wrong idea or be offended by this topic in general. And as someone has said, perhaps despite the golf link, this sort of topic does not belong in this forum. Having said that here is the link . As I've stated I like Kelly and Nick together on TV, it seems to be funny and entertaining at times. And from my perspective, I seriously doubt that she meant it the way it sounds...again I can't imagine being on TV and have to talk for 5 hrs coming up with new things to say all day.

We do live, sadly, in a world where media and others hang on every word waiting to get you in trouble for unintentional or innocuous statements. I do hope there is no fallout for her and our sake.

Lastly, while appreciate all the post and comments, this will be my last. Thanks

[wachesawgolfer]

I don't think she would say something like that, and I hope she didn't

You have got to be kidding. Certainly, she meant it in the figurative, not literally. We are all way too PC and way too touchy, these days. A strong argument can be made that a few preach the evils of racism because they have a vested interest in its survival.

[JaY_B]

Certainly, she meant it in the figurative, not literally. We are all way too PC and way too touchy, these days.

Concurred

[JaY_B]

lol at the new member having a rant, no need to try and incite hatred!

[FIJIGolf23]

lol at the new member having a rant, no need to try and incite hatred!

Yeah, no kidding. That's a good way to start here on this forum. Hell, any forum for that matter. I hope Erik bans him for that ignorant statement he just made.

[Guest]

I don't understand why the word lynch would be considered racist? please someone let me in on this.

Umm sad. When you see and comment on a black person and connect the dots with "lynch" in your vocabulary and it just flows into a sentence so easily, it shows a heavy insight of how you think of that group of ppl and you only let a fraction leak out by accident. There is no doubt that we are the most sensitive group in the world, however you'll NEVER understand how much it hurts and verifies what WE think you REALLY thing of us as a group. Not to generalize..but a little insight..I don't expect any of you to really understand.

[pjsnyc]

lol at the new member having a rant, no need to try and incite hatred!

Just confused as to which member you think is inciting hatred...certainly not Imyopoppa3's post?

[FIJIGolf23]

Just confused as to which member you think is inciting hatred...certainly not Imyopoppa3's post?

I reported the post that Jay was referring to to Erik to take care of. It was made by someone as their first post and was completely disrespectful towards everyone. Luckily, it was deleted.

[iacas]

You have got to be kidding. Certainly, she meant it in the figurative, not literally. We are all way too PC and way too touchy, these days. A strong argument can be made that a few preach the evils of racism because they have a vested interest in its survival.

What "figurative" sense is there? Can you "figuratively" kill someone? I guess the only way you could do that is by saying, for example, "I'm gonna kill you" and then shooting 62 while Tiger shoots 68. That's "killing him..." on the golf course.

But the whole "back alley" bit removes the "figurative" excuse. Obviously she was not actually suggesting people lynch Tiger Woods, but she didn't mean they should practice hard and beat him on the golf course. Nobody listening to that statement would picture much else besides Tiger dangling from a noose in a back alley. What springs to mind if I said something like "Young pros today should go all Tonya Harding on Tiger's knees." Though not racial like "lynching," this statement isn't any more "figurative" than the statement Kelly made. You get a clear what she's saying, even if she's not actually suggesting people follow her "advice." I'm not particularly sensitive. I'm not a black man. Yet I still think what she said was wrong. I think it hints at perhaps some underlying racial issues she may have and I think an apology is the least she should do. A firing offense? It depends on how Tiger Woods takes it, because he's 10x as powerful as The Golf Channel, and if he calls for Kelly's head on a platter he'd probably get it. Since I'm not a black man and I'm not Tiger Woods, I don't know how he should react. I can imagine he might publicly accept the apology because it's in the best interests of golf, but privately he'll be furious and you can bet TGC personalities (or at least K.T.) will have a much harder if not impossible time getting time with Tiger, regardless of how much adulation they heap on him. Those that manage to distance themselves from Kelly, even privately, may be spared the silent treatment. In this day and age it almost doesn't matter what her true feelings are or what she truly believes or even whether she meant it "figuratively" or otherwise. She said something that she had to know a broadcaster simply shouldn't say. It's well over the line. Fuzzy's comment was bad; this is way worse. Tiger himself used the word "spaz" and had to apologize to people. Kelly's "lynch him in a back alley" comment is way, way beyond that.

[neudi]

You have got to be kidding. Certainly, she meant it in the figurative, not literally. We are all way too PC and way too touchy, these days. A strong argument can be made that a few preach the evils of racism because they have a vested interest in its survival.

I understand that people say these things, but when you are on national television whether you think you are on the air or not you don't say these things b/c of the fact that someone just might hear it. As far as being too touchy, not a chance in the world, like I said before, she has a reputation to live up to on the air and she failed to do it, whether she meant it or not.

[JaY_B]

I just hope that she doesn't get labelled a racist when that is clearly not the case, maybe it was not the smartest comment ever, but I doubt it was implied racially, IMO this is a comment that she should apologise for (not to me but to the people who it does offend) and then the comment be forgotten about forever.

[neudi]

She just made a statement on Espn.com apologizing for it and such.

[FIJIGolf23]

What "figurative" sense is there? Can you "figuratively" kill someone? I guess the only way you could do that is by saying, for example, "I'm gonna kill you" and then shooting 62 while Tiger shoots 68. That's "killing him..." on the golf course.

I can see where you are coming from and you make valid points, however, I think it is only true because we let it be true. She made the comment that I think was clearly not meant in a racial or derogatory connotation, but with the media and everyone having to tip-toe through life so as to not offend someone, it became something "racial." If Tiger was white and she made the same comment, would anyone have thought another thing about it? Doubtful.

[darktone]

Hey guy's, today at work I asked several people about the word lynch and not one thought it had racial undertones. Granted I live in the north- Wisconsin but quite a few people from the south were asked too and none thought it was a racist word and yes a few african americans were in my unofficial poll as well. I also looked in several dictionaries and a few referenced Captain William Lynch. Here is what Wikipedia say's about him-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Lynch


" In the late 18th century, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, was troubled by criminals who could not be dealt with by the courts, which were too distant. This led to an agreement to punish such criminals without due process of law. Both the practice and the punishment came to be called lynch law after Captain William Lynch, who drew up a compact on September 22, 1780, with a group of his neighbors. Arguing that Pittsylvania had "sustained great and intolerable losses by a set of lawless men ... that ... have hitherto escaped the civil power with impunity," they agreed to respond to reports of criminality in their neighborhood by "repair[ing] immediately to the person or persons suspected ... and if they will not desist from their evil practices, we will inflict such corporeal punishment on him or them, as to us shall seem adequate to the crime committed or the damage sustained." Originally, Lynch Law and lynching was not associated with hanging, but called for 39 lashes, and other less severe punishments were also used. William Lynch died in 1820, and the inscription on his grave notes that "he followed virtue as his truest guide."[citation needed]"

[sbgolfin_06]

If Tiger was white and she made the same comment, would anyone have thought another thing about it? Doubtful.

but i think that's the point, have you ever heard that word directed at someone who was not black? im not to saying that it has never happened, but it's hard to say that this incident was completely harmless. i think i remember when this comment was made. it made me do a double take at the tv screen and i thought the same as the OP, "hmmm.. wonder if anyone else caught that comment..." it was definitely a poor choice of words given the dark history centered around lynching in this country. i understand that she was trying to make a joke, but there is nothing funny about lynchings, hence, it was a poor attempt at humor. its like making a Princess Diana(nicknamed Princess "Di") whenever the subject of death comes up. im sure that would offend the royal family, and even if we all find it humorous, does that make it okay?

[darktone]

but i think that's the point, have you ever heard that word directed at someone who was not black? im not to saying that it has never happened, but it's hard to say that this incident was completely harmless. i think i remember when this comment was made. it made me do a double take at the tv screen and i thought the same as the OP, "hmmm.. wonder if anyone else caught that comment..." it was definitely a poor choice of words given the dark history centered around lynching in this country. i understand that she was trying to make a joke, but there is nothing funny about lynchings, hence, it was a poor attempt at humor. its like making a Princess Diana(nicknamed Princess "Di") whenever the subject of death comes up. im sure that would offend the royal family, and even if we all find it humorous, does that make it okay?

If she was using this word with the understanding it was a racist word that would be awful. If she said this jokingly and did not know it was a racist word and was like me thinking it was what the cowboy's did to cattle rustlers then I could forgive her. But you know if she really knew what this was a racist word then I think this puts her in the same class as Imus.

[neudi]

is "lynch" a racist word? I don't consider it to be, but that is me. And I thought I heard that Tiger doesn't consider himself black.

[iacas]

I think it is only true because we let it be true.

If by "we" you mean "everyone with common sense" I'd be inclined to agree. In other words, no, I reject the premise that we're making this into something bigger. The word "lynch" carries a racist tone whether you personally feel it does or not. The very history of the word as well as the history of this country make it so.

Or perhaps you reject the notion that "cracker" and "nigger" and "chink" aren't tinged with racism? Sure, they're probably a bit further up the scale, but I think you get my point. How about the term " niggardly "? (Answer: no racism in that, really, but the politician who used the term should probably have known better.)

She made the comment that I think was clearly not meant in a racial or derogatory connotation, but with the media and everyone having to tip-toe through life so as to not offend someone, it became something "racial."

Just because you're not personally offended (I'm not, really, but again I'm not a black man and I'm sure as heck not Tiger Woods) doesn't mean it wasn't offensive.

And even if we replace the term "lynched" with "killed," it was still inappropriate. Stuart Appleby's comment? A play on words, and the word in question - "shoot" - isn't one with a history in racism. Kelly's comment was not a play on words nor was it a witty or clever comeback to a question.

If Tiger was white and she made the same comment, would anyone have thought another thing about it? Doubtful.

That's a straw man argument.

And frankly, I doubt she'd have used the word "lynch" if Tiger was white. I think she'd have said something like "kill" or "kidnap" or any other means of "disposing" of someone that isn't tinged with racism. I think Kelly got caught having to speak off the cuff, as announcers have to do when they're doing anything but reading the leaderboard or some statistics, and a little touch of racism came out.

And I thought I heard that Tiger doesn't consider himself black.

Tiger considers himself black - among other things. In other words, he considers himself of many nationalities (as he is). That's not the same thing as saying he considers himself ONLY black.

He's talked at great length about the impact the struggles of blacks like Lee Elder and Charlie Sifford have had on him and his career. He's talked at great length about the stories he's heard from his father, a man he respected more than anyone, and the difficulties he faced as a black man. And so on.